"We want to help employees succeed in the sustainable transformation of their business”

Climate issues are a key element of AXA's new strategy, Driving Progress 2023. How will the Climate School help the Group maintain its leadership on these issues?

As a global insurer, AXA is in a unique position to understand climate-related shifts and associated risks and, above all, the interconnections of the environment, the economy and even on the health the broader population. We see it as AXA’s duty to use this scientific knowledge of the causes and consequences to protect our customers.  The online training program of our Climate School is built around 2 modules: The first one, UNDERSTAND, is a module to understand climate change, natural resources, biodiversity, and their impact on our lives. It contains 6 core courses organized around 40 short videos and quizzes. The second one, ACT, is a module on sustainable transformation which affects all businesses today. Business by business, we need to understand how we can draw a roadmap to act and adapt. It includes 10 courses per business line organized around 50 short videos and quizzes.

Why did you choose to train people on climate change?  How will this training help them in their work?

We see it as an opportunity to start from scratch. For both internal and external employees, we have built our content with two strong points in mind: Employees first. 76% of employees are ready to take action on climate change in their professional lives. We harness this energy to train employees and lead the sustainable transformation from the inside. Then we have, taking action day by day, business by business. Sustainable transformation affects all businesses, without exception, and starting now. Jobs will change, and so will skills. We are providing concrete tools to adapt in each business line, starting today.
Finally, we are convinced that the success of the approach depends on cross-collaboration between companies facing the same environmental challenges: the Climate School is already developing content with partners from other sectors.

In the midst of the pandemic, how will you distribute and organize the training?

Above all, we wanted to prioritize the most pressing issues, because as Valérie Masson Delmotte, Director of the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission and a member of the IPCC, says, every half degree counts, every year counts. We have therefore chosen to start by producing 100% digital content that will allow us to reach all employees in all countries of the world almost instantaneously, as enabled and normalized by the transformation effected over the last year. Subsequently, we will of course support our clients with synchronous learning options, and, when the situation allows, face-to-face in order to reach all levels of the company.
For the International Earth Day, we want to mark the occasion. The 10 first employees of each company will have access to the Climate School when they ask for it on our website: https://www.climate.axa/school. It’s our way of contributing to help employees from companies who want to start moving.